diff --git a/.forgejo/workflows/botserver.yaml b/.forgejo/workflows/botserver.yaml
index cc9554f4..e3c38b5d 100644
--- a/.forgejo/workflows/botserver.yaml
+++ b/.forgejo/workflows/botserver.yaml
@@ -67,10 +67,12 @@ jobs:
           echo "=== Deploy started ==="
           echo "Checking binary exists..."
           ls -lh /opt/gbo/ci/botserver/target/debug/botserver
-          echo "Killing old botserver..."
-          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no system "pkill -f botserver || true; sleep 2; rm -f /opt/gbo/bin/botserver && echo 'Old binary removed'"
+          echo "Testing SSH to system..."
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o ConnectTimeout=10 system "echo SSH OK && pkill -f botserver || true"
+          echo "Removing old binary..."
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o ConnectTimeout=10 system "rm -f /opt/gbo/bin/botserver && echo 'Old binary removed'"
           echo "Starting rsync transfer..."
-          rsync -avz --progress -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -v" /opt/gbo/ci/botserver/target/debug/botserver system:/opt/gbo/bin/botserver 2>&1 | tee /tmp/deploy.log
+          rsync -avz --progress -e "ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o ConnectTimeout=30" /opt/gbo/ci/botserver/target/debug/botserver system:/opt/gbo/bin/botserver 2>&1 | tee /tmp/deploy.log
           RSYNC_EXIT=${PIPESTATUS[0]}
           echo "rsync exit code: $RSYNC_EXIT"
           if [ "$RSYNC_EXIT" != "0" ]; then
@@ -78,7 +80,9 @@ jobs:
             exit 1
           fi
           echo "rsync SUCCESS, setting permissions..."
-          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no system "chmod +x /opt/gbo/bin/botserver && chown gbuser:gbuser /opt/gbo/bin/botserver && ls -lh /opt/gbo/bin/botserver && cd /opt/gbo/bin && nohup sudo -u gbuser ./botserver --noconsole >> /opt/gbo/logs/error.log 2>&1 &"
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o ConnectTimeout=10 system "chmod +x /opt/gbo/bin/botserver && chown gbuser:gbuser /opt/gbo/bin/botserver && ls -lh /opt/gbo/bin/botserver"
+          echo "Starting botserver..."
+          ssh -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o ConnectTimeout=10 system "cd /opt/gbo/bin && sudo -u gbuser ./botserver --noconsole >> /opt/gbo/logs/error.log 2>&1 &"
           echo "=== Deploy completed ==="
 
       - name: Verify botserver started